Introducing the Moonwalkers: the world’s ‘fastest shoes’

Feb 4 2023

We’ve all tried running around a shoe store to ‘test’ whether a new pair of sports shoes made us run any faster. The latest in shoe technology (yes, that’s a thing) now has us all covered.

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Shift Robotics, a Pittsburgh-based start-up, has developed a new type of shoe called Moonwalkers which reportedly increase a person’s walking speed by 250% without the need to exert extra energy.

The shoes work by being strapped onto the bottom of a person’s shoes and activated by lifting one heel and giving it a twist.

Sensors in the shoes collect data on the user’s gait, which machine learning algorithms use to control the speed at which the eight motorised wheels on the bottom of each shoe rotate. This results in an increased walking speed, similar to walking on a moving sidewalk.

The shoes have a range of about 6 miles and take 1.5 hours to charge via USB-C. They weigh 4.2 pounds and are best suited for people with shoe sizes between men’s 9 to 12 and women’s 10.5 to 13.5, with a recommended user weight limit of 220 pounds.

If you’re wondering about when you could get your hands, and then feet, on this new tech to give it a go, Moonwalkers will be available for purchase for a whopping $1,399 and are expected to begin deliveries in the summer of 2023.

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Solar and wind the top energy sources for Europe in 2022

Feb 4 2023

According to a report by climate thinktank Ember, wind and solar energy provided more of the European Union’s electricity than any other power source for the first time in 2022.

The two sources together supplied a record one-fifth of the EU’s electricity, surpassing the contributions from gas and nuclear power.

The increase in wind and solar generation helped Europe to overcome a “triple crisis” in its energy supplies, caused by restrictions on Russian gas supplies, a dip in hydro power due to drought, and unexpected nuclear outages.

Solar generation in the EU rose by 24%, which prevented the need for €10 billion in gas costs. Some 20 EU nations sourced a record amount of their power from solar, including the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany.

The report projects that wind and solar growth will continue in 2023, while fossil fuel power generation could drop by 20%, double the previous record observed in 2020.

This comes as Europe faced a triple crisis for energy supplies, with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia being at the forefront of these crises. Prior to the war, Europe sourced a third of its gas from Putin’s Russia, but, despite the upheaval, EU gas generation remained stable in 2022 when compared to 2021.

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Hong Kong is giving away over 500,000 free flight tickets

Feb 4 2023

The Hong Kong Department of Tourism is giving away over half a million free flight tickets to draw in more tourists to the city, following the devastating onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of these tickets will be distributed through Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific for travellers in Asia, including Chinese tourists who are now traveling again after border controls have been relaxed.

There will also be an allocation of free tickets for Europeans and Americans, as well as a small portion of the flights which will be available to Hong Kong residents for travel to other Asian countries.

The initial phase of the world of winners campaign will begin on March 1st and travellers can get their hands on round-trip tickets through Cathay Pacific.

Additionally, the Hong Kong tourism board will also give away one million spending vouchers for ground activities such as dining, transportation, and drinks. With free flights and spending vouchers, now could be the perfect time to visit Hong Kong, which continues to thrive through the expansion of new restaurants, bars, and hotels, and the return of Art Basel in March and the Rugby Sevens in the spring.

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Here’s what Netflix’s new rules could mean for users

Feb 4 2023

Netflix users are bracing themselves for a new change in policy regarding password sharing, which the streaming service claims undermines its ability to improve and invest in the service.

The company recently announced that subscribers would be able to pay extra to share an account with someone outside their household.

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This change will require users to log in to their account from their home address at least once every 31 days, or risk having their account blocked.

The news of this policy change caused confusion among users, and its brief appearance on the Netflix domestic Help Center earlier this week sparked speculation about how the policy would be enforced.

However, the information was later removed from the website and a Netflix spokesperson confirmed that the rules are currently in place for some countries, but not for the United States.

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